Improvement in potato-diggers



i 2 sheets-sheen 1v. S. L. AALLEN. Potato-Digger.

N0.2os,oo8. Patented sept. 17,1878t ".PETERS. PHOYWLITHOGRFHER. WASNNGTON, D, C4

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. S. L. ALLEN.` Y

Potato-Digger. i y No. 208,008. y Patented sept. 17, 187s.

.PETERS, PHOTO-UTNDGMPMER. WASMINGTON. E)A c.

25m/6217072 I @Y (MMM L/owldAO/L UNrrED STATESPATENT OFFICE.'

SAMUEL L. ALLEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-:DIGGERS Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,008, datedvSeptember 17, 1878; application liled, l l February 4, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. ALLEN, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Potato-Diggers, of which the following is a specicationz The object of my invention is to so combine certain bars with a plow that when the latter is used for turning up the hills or ridges of a potato-field the bars will disintegrate the turned-up soil and exposethe potatoes in the effective manner described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved potato-digging plow; Figs. 2 and 3, diagrams illustrating the action of the plow and its disintegratin g-bars; and Figs. 4 and 5, Sheet 2, views illustrating the devices for adjusting the bars.

A is the castiron frame of the plow, B the beam secured to the frame, and D the plow, also secured to the frame. It should be un derstood that in carrying out my invention it is not necessary to adhere to the style of frame shown in the drawing.

To the rear of the plow are secured a series of bars or rods, (four in the present instance,) a., a, a2, and a3, which project from the side ofthe plow, as best observed in the plan view, Fig.

3, the vert-ical arrangement of these bars in respect to each other being shown in the diagram, Fig. 2, on reference to which it will be observed that the first bar, c, is the highest above the base of the plow, the next bar, al, being somewhat nearer, the third bar still nearer to the said base-line,- and the fourth and last bar almost on a level therewith.

On reference to the .plan view, Fig. 3, it will be observed that the bars are of different lengths, the bar c being the shortest, the next bar, al, somewhat longer, the third bar still longer, and the fourth bar, a3, the longest.

It is not essential to my invention that the bars should be of differentlengths, but I prefer to arrange them in that manner for a purpose rendered apparent hereinafter.

Vhen the plow is in operation its position in relation to a row of potato-vines is that iudicated in Ythe plan view, Fig. 3, where the p dotted line w w represents the row. The plow turns up the soil in which the potatoes are embedded, and forms a ridge of this soil in about the same level asthe surface of the ground, exposes all the potatoes which the third bar has not reached.

As the plow passes through and turns up the hill or row the first bar, c, may strike ya potato at such a point that it will be raised to the surface, or it may strike it at such a point that the potato will be slightly de-v pressed into the soil, in which case it must certainly be struck by the next bar, c1, in such a manner as to be raised to the surface.- In

other words, if a potato escapes one bar, it

will be underithe upturning influence of another, so that the soil at the rear of the plow will be spread laterally over the ground with all the potatoes exposed. This lateral spreading ofthe soil increases as bar after bar passes through it 5' hence the increase in the length of the bars from the first, which is the shortest, to the last, which is the longest.

The object of the colter G- is to direct the potato-vines from the land-side of the plow over to the side on which the soil is turned, the colter coming in contact with vine after .vine in succession as the share is in the actv of passing beneath its roots.

The bars a al, &c., form part of a plate, b, which is attached to the plow by means of bolts d d, the latter being adapted to slots e in the plate, and being arranged one on each side of a lug, m, on the under side of the plow. By this means the plate can be either tilted or moved vertically, so that the height of the vbars from the ground, or their angle in respect to the plow, may be varied to-accord with the character of the soil in which the digger is required to work.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with a plow, of a series of laterally-projecting bars, arranged apart from each other at the rear of the plow, and "In testimony whereof 'I have signed my at different altitudes from the base of the same, name to this speeication in the present-,e of

the foremost bar being highest and the rear two subscribing witnesses.

bar lowest, all substantially as set forth, for

the purpose speoied. SAMUEL L. ALLEN.

2. The combination of the plow, its lug m, l

and bolts d with the fingers or bars carriedv Vituesses:

by :t slot-ted plate7 b, all substantially as set HARRY A. CRAWFORD,

forth. HARRY SMITH. 

